Never Worthless
by Leaving-My-Mark
Summary: Sokka thinks that he's worthless to the group. He only believes that he's there to eat the food and that because he doesn't bend that he's useless. But a certain Earthbender believes in him, and tells him otherwise. Tokka fluff. Please Leave Reviews!


Never Worthless

**Never Worthless**

**This is a slight Tokka one shot. It takes place during Sokka's Master.**

**Summary: Sokka thinks that he's worthless to the group. He only believes that he's there to eat the food and that because he doesn't bend that he's useless. But a certain Earthbender believes in him, and tells him otherwise. Tokka fluff.**

**Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN AVATAR! I wish I did, though.**

**OOOOOO**

Sokka sat at the top of the hill that overlooked the small Fire Nation town that the Gaang had set up camp near. The sun was setting, reflecting its light upon Sokka's face and the town below and creating shadows. The sun's dimming rays were enough to heat the young Water Tribe warrior's skin, but it was not enough to warm his heart. Sokka was feeling very glum about something. He felt as if he shouldn't be in the group, for what could he contribute to it? Absolutely nothing; he thought. He wasn't a bender, he always tended to eat more than the rest of the group, he complained, he was clumsy….what good was he?

His face showed utter sadness, the gloom was most evident in his deep blue iceberg eyes. And those eyes were distant, no longer looking down upon the calm little Fire Nation town below, but rather upon something else. Something that couldn't be seen with the human eye or with a blind Earth Bender's feet. Sokka was looking within himself; at how disappointing he believed he was. He'd given up trying to think of what he did to contribute to the group a while ago. Now he sat here in solemnity and despair.

**OOOOOO**

The young Earth Bender hadn't 'seen' Sokka reenter the camp, and it'd been over an hour since he walked away and up the hill. Something had to be wrong. Sokka never abandoned the group without an explanation. But today had been different. Earlier that day, just a few hours previously, the dark-skinned Water Tribe boy had suddenly got up, silently walked away from the group, and up the hill without so much as a 'see ya' or a wave goodbye. He didn't even look back; not once. He simply got up and left, just like that.

Now Toph was sick and tired of waiting for her friend (and secret crush) to come back to the camp. It was beginning to get slightly colder, which had to mean that the sun was beginning to set, which subsequently meant that it was getting later and that it would soon become midnight.

Aang and Katara didn't seem too worried about him. Katara was beginning to make supper while Aang helped her out and prepare for the night.

Toph was leaning against a tree nearby the fire pit that Katara was using to prepare their nighttime meal. She was hugging her knees, sitting there contently while her milky emerald eyes rested upon the line of smooth rocks that Katara used to form the basin of the small fire pit she had created.

She hadn't been paying much attention to what was going on. She mildly listened to the nearby sounds around her. The sounds of the forest, the crackling fire pit, the tree leaves rustling lightly from the soft breeze that swept by every once in a while…her mind was somewhere else, however. She was thinking of how Sokka was doing. Was he coming back any time soon? And what was his problem? Why had he seemed so upset earlier when he left? Well, he had told the whole group about how he felt like he wasn't important….was that it? Wait, why was she so worried about him anyway? He probably just wanted to sit alone for a while and think. Sometimes that's what Toph did when she couldn't sleep.

"Hey Toph, do you know where Sokka went?" Katara suddenly asked her. Toph's eyes darted upward, overshooting their target and unknowingly landing on the top of a tree on the other side of the camp site. She was tugged away from her ponderings as soon as Katara's voice rang through her sensitive ears.

"Where have you been, Sugar Queen? He's been gone for nearly 2 hours! He went up that hill." Toph's arm shot up and she pointed, her finger managing to point right at its desired target; the hill that Sokka had trekked over not _too _long ago.

"I was busy helping Aang with his Waterbending in the stream nearby! How was I supposed to know where he went? I can't keep track of my immature older brother all the time!"

"Well you're his sister! And besides, at least you have _eyes_!" Toph said, demonstrating as she stretched open her eyelids with her fingers and widened them. "I'm blind! And yet I know exactly where he went!"

"Then why don't you go find him and bring him to back to the camp, if you're so smart." Katara snipped back at her. Toph could tell that the Water Bender was now glaring at her. Not that she cared.

"Fine, I was going to go look for him soon, anyway." Toph huffed. And with that she dropped her arms to her side, pushed herself up, and set off towards the hill.

**OOOOOO**

Toph followed the not-too-far-away heartbeat of Sokka as she walked up the hill and down a small path. She felt his heartbeat lightly pounding upon the forest floor, getting louder and closer as she continued walking towards the top of the hill. She could tell his back was to her, facing in the opposite direction. He didn't seem to notice her approach. And if he did know she was here, then he showed no signs of it.

The blind Earth Bender hesitated for a moment, wondering how to approach him. She stood at the top of the hill about a yard or two away from him, her pale emerald eyes somehow landing on his back.

Judging by his slumping form and the slower heart rate that her friend had, along with the earlier hints, Toph guessed that her friend was not very happy at the moment. And so, instead of trying to sneak up on him, pull a prank, shout in his ear or anything of that nature, Toph simply walked up to him and sat down beside him.

Sokka did not turn to look at the blind girl, although he knew that she was sitting next to him. Toph looked towards him, and out of the corner of his eye he could see how her glazed-over emerald eyes uncannily happened to find his, looking straight into them. They showed a sign of innocence, yet when he looked deeper into her sightless eyes, Sokka felt as if he could almost see the emotion held deep within them.

Toph waited, wondering if he'd turn his head and actually acknowledge her, though she knew that he knew that she was sitting there by now. He simply refused to interact with her, and apparently anyone else for that matter. So, Toph would just have to take matters into her own hands.

"Sokka?" It was different than how she normally spoke to him. Her voice was smoother around the edges, not as rough. It was more gentle…and calm. There was even a light amount of concern laced within her voice.

Sokka detected this subtle yet very evident change in his friend's behavior and voice, and immediately turned to look at her with a raised eyebrow.

Toph noticed her friend finally turn to look at her. Despite being blind, she could feel his eyes set on her, paying attention to her. Whether or not the rest of him was with them remained a mystery to her. Now she wondered silently what she should say next. "Is everything alright?" She asked, deciding that was probably the best way to put her concern into words and start off the conversation.

She heard him sigh, and slump forward a little more--if it were possible. He looked away, back up at the sunset. "I'm fine, Toph." He seemed to have forgotten that she could sense that he was lying.

"That's a lie." She whispered softly to him.

Sokka's eyes snapped back towards her to look right back into her gaze, which had hardened a little despite the softness in her tone that had a hidden but evident tone of annoyance in it. "Alright, so what if I lied?" He asked her carelessly.

"I can tell something's wrong," Toph started. And then she took a deep breath. "You can talk to me about it, Sokka."

"I don't want to talk about it," he insisted.

"I promise I won't laugh." She told him, and he could sense the true honesty in her voice. "Earth Bender's promise." She said rather grandly, holding up a hand with her index and middle finger crossed. She held the pose for a moment, then dropped her hand and waited for his response.

Sokka sighed once again, looking down and then back up at her. "Promise?"

Toph bobbed her head. "Promise." She confirmed. "Now what's this problem of yours?"

Sokka took a deep breath, and looked up at her. "Well, I've just been thinking lately," he looked down at the ground as he continued. "And I feel like I don't contribute anything to this group. I'm not some amazingly skilled bender like you or Katara or Aang…all I have is a boomerang. I'm clumsy, I—" Sokka was suddenly interrupted by a small grunt issued by the blind girl beside him.

"Sokka, you do plenty to contribute to this group." She told him truthfully. Her voice was calm, and soft, and caring but stern. It was smooth and silky, unlike the way she usually talked: bold, with brutality and a sharp edge like a rock…with authority and firmness…

But despite this new tone she was using with him—one that seemed to seep within his skin and try and give him hope and reassurance--he still had doubt heavily weighing down on him.

"And how is that?" Sokka demanded with a sharp, bitter edge.

Toph sighed. "Must I _always_ explain _everything _to you?" She rolled her eyes. The Earth Bender leaned back on her palms, her eyes looking out at the sunset that they were unable to even glimpse upon.

Sokka said nothing, and so she began.

"Well, you cheer everyone up with your jokes. I'll admit, not all of them are horrible." She said with a small, barely noticeable grin. "And you're the only one that can interpret and read maps. That's one thing _I_ certainly can't do." She said, pointing to herself. "You pick great campsites, you come up with clever plans and solutions to problems, and you make sure we stay on schedule, although you can get a little annoying sometimes."

Sokka sat there silently, listening to Toph as she explained what he was good for in the group. The gloomy feeling that was weighing him down was suddenly beginning to lessen, and he felt as if he were physically lighter. He gave a half-smile, though it quickly disappeared again.

Toph sat up once more, and somehow her milky, pale green eyes managed to find his iceberg blue ones. "And let me add this, Snoozles," She began once again.

Sokka sat there looking at her, waiting for her to continue and hear what she had to say.

"Despite not being a bender and all, you don't let that stop you from fighting as best to your ability, even if you're outmatched or outnumbered. You're determined Sokka, and just because I'm blind, doesn't mean I haven't noticed." She told him honestly. She gave him a punch in the arm. "And that's one thing that I admire about you." As she said that, a rare, sincere smile spread across her lips. It looked much like a smirk, the way her mouth was curled into a grin and tilted slightly to the side, but all in all it was a true, heartfelt smile.

"Really?" Sokka asked with wide eyes. Shock was coursing through him, for he would have never guessed that Toph would say something like that to him. "Do you honestly mean that?"

"Course I do!" Toph said a little loudly in defense.

Sokka immediately grinned, and somehow, although he knew that she was blind, Sokka could tell that Toph knew that he was grinning. "Thanks, Toph."

"Glad to be of help!" She said with a smile. She began to get up and head back towards camp in hopes that Sokka would follow, but she was immediately yanked back. Toph landed with a thud on the ground back next to Sokka. "Hey! What do you think you're doing, Snoozles?"

"I just want to sit here for a few more minutes before going back to camp. Would you mind staying with me?"

"Sure, no problem. I don't want to be the one to go back to the campsite Sokka-less and face the wrath of Katara." She said with a shrug as she turned around and sat facing the horizon once more.

"Thanks again, Toph."

"Yeah, don't mention it." She said with another shrug, and she turned to the side for a moment to hide the blush she felt creeping over her face.

However, even though she'd never admit it, Toph was glad to stay.

**OOOOOO**

**I hope you enjoyed the Tokka fluff everyone! I really had fun writing it. I don't think I've ever actually written fluff before. Let me know what you thought of this one-shot! I'd appreciate it! **

**I LOVE REVIEWS! SO PLEASE REVIEW!**

**Tres**

**P.S.**

**As soon as I finish this huge Social Studies project due on the 1****st****, I may begin on a new Tokka fanfic. It also might have a hint of Kataang in it for those who also enjoy that pairing.**

**Thanks everyone!**

**Oh Yeah, and here's a little bonus:**

Katara looked out at the setting sky. The warm colors were beginning to fade into deeper, cooler, nighttime colors. Katara gave a worried glance over at the hill as she continued to work on their supper. It was almost finished. "Where are Toph and Sokka? It's getting late." She quietly asked herself in a concerned manner.

About 10 minutes later Katara looked up at the sky once more. Supper was now ready, and Toph and Sokka still weren't back. Aang was now feeding Appa some leaves and Momo some fruit, and the sun was about to disappear from the sky. "That's it. I'm going to go get them." She got up and began to march up the hill. "Never send an Earthbender to do a sister's job." She muttered to herself, and then she disappeared over the hill.

A few moments later Aang hurried over to the middle of the campsite after having finished feeding his flying bison and pet lemur. He looked around, scratching his head and looking confused. There was only Appa and Momo finishing up their dinner and the fading crackling fire. Katara, Toph, and Sokka were all gone. Finally he gave up and asked aloud the question he had been wondering silently for 5 minutes, "Where is everybody?"

**I just thought I'd add a little humor in there for ya'. Poor Aang.**

**Remenber to REVIEW!**

**Once again,**

**Tres**


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